Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Stage 3
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“Huff, huff!”
“Huff, hack, cough!”
In the space where the arrows had suddenly stopped.
Harsh breaths and ragged gasps intertwined.
Even though it was a fairly spacious area for seven people, the surroundings felt like a sauna, sweltering hot.
“It’s over? Is it finally over? Huff, huff!”
“…We’re switching to stage 3 now, right? How many stages are there?”
Not a single person wasn’t drenched in sweat.
Steam rose in wisps from the crowns of everyone’s heads.
Everyone staggered, dizzy.
“My legs… my legs have no strength left.”
“I’ve actually had cramps since two hours ago.”
“But how…?”
“Fuck, I forced them out. Can’t get hit by arrows just because of cramps, right? Huff, heave!”
It wasn’t just me suffering alone.
Everyone was suffering to the point of death.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
My heart pounded relentlessly too.
‘Still.’
They were all amazing.
Truthfully, they could have given up if they wanted.
Since it was a game where just one person passing was enough, they could have handed it off to someone skilled.
The Judgement Spear or whatever.
‘But.’
Not a single one gave up.
Even in moments when they wanted to let go, someone else endured while bawling their eyes out.
‘Everyone.’
They knew.
That victory wasn’t the most important thing—tempering was.
Becoming a ranker mattered, but what kind of ranker you became mattered too.
Or.
At least, they didn’t want to look pathetic among ourselves.
Giving up without even trying would be pretty lame, right?
“Whew.”
I ignored my madly racing heart and let out a short breath.
And at that moment.
“Everyone, below!”
Kapu shouted.
“Damn it! Watch the floor!”
“Floor?”
There wasn’t even time to ask what that meant.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The white floor cracked in a checkerboard pattern and began to move grotesquely.
“What, what is this!”
Some sections spun 360 degrees, while others rocked up and down.
And in the gaps below them.
“Fuck…”
Vladimir spat out a curse in disbelief.
“They really do everything. This is lava, isn’t it?”
It was so hot.
Rocks melted into liquid, flowing stickily.
In places, jets of flame erupted like solar flares.
“No wonder it’s been hot since earlier. It wasn’t just us—it was that lava.”
Precisely, both.
Anyway.
“Move!”
At my shout.
Swoosh!
Arrows shot from the side walls again.
But their speed.
It was on another level from stage 2.
At least double?
No, it felt like about 2.5 times faster.
“…This is insane.”
Even the composed Judgement Spear was shaking his head.
“Hun.”
Kapu, dodging this way and that in place, blinked.
I looked at Kapu.
“Sorry. This seems to be my limit.”
“Kapu?”
The moment he missed a step.
Pfft!
An arrow pierced his heart.
His body fell toward the lava zone about 30 meters below the floor, then whoosh! vanished.
[One team member has been touched by an ‘arrow.’]
[The team member is eliminated.]
“Damn it!”
The moment stage 3 began, one team member was out.
A perfect demonstration of how unforgiving this stage was.
[Using skill, ‘Teaching of the Myriad Arts’ (S-Grade).]
[Consuming 20 stamina.]
[‘Master of the Myriad Arts’ appears.]
24 hours had passed.
I immediately summoned the old man.
‘Elder.’
“Yeah.”
‘What should we do about th—’
Rumble! Swoosh!
The difficulty had spiked.
Dodging arrows was maddening enough, but now I had to watch my footing too.
More things to focus on.
“Hah.”
The old man let out a hollow laugh.
“Judging by the speed and environment, this is pushing 100% of your limits, huh?”
‘100%…?’
If so.
Then the movements I was making right now were exactly at my limit?
‘Well.’
It felt that way.
I couldn’t think of any way to move faster or more efficiently than this.
“Look around, you fool. Compared to what’s shooting at the others, it’s like an arrow storm pouring down on you. Heh heh, impressive. Means your limit is the highest among them.”
Grit!
I ground my teeth.
“Hup!”
I twisted my upper body to dodge one arrow, then moved to the bucking platform.
Swoosh!
Another arrow grazed past by a hair’s breadth.
‘Right, anyway.’
If it’s 100% limit.
That means there’s a way to dodge if I concentrate somehow?
“Kid, this trial doesn’t seem to be about skill.”
The old man muttered as he watched me.
“Well, it wouldn’t make sense. No genius in the world could master footwork or evasion in just a few days.”
Arrows poured down endlessly.
My heart rate was on a whole different level.
Thump thump thump thump thump!
It raced like mad.
“Urgh, hah!”
I kept moving, desperately trying to exhale.
This…
The moment I lost my mental grip, even briefly, it was over.
“Kid. I’ve got no advice for this. It’s not a battle of skill—it’s a battle of mental fortitude. How long can you endure at the razor’s edge of your endless limit?”
“Raaah!”
I roared.
It hurt.
If the previous pain was bones shattering and veins bursting.
This was a different kind of pain.
My heart endlessly craving oxygen.
My whole body tensed, demanding rest.
“You hurting, kid?”
Yes. I’m hurting.
Hurting so bad I could die.
“No choice. You can quit anytime, and quitting would make it easy.”
“Ugh… hup.”
“Hah, what an brutally effective, idiotic training method. One chance, yet they push this hard. Even putting lava below to make you hit your physical limits faster. Impressive?”
No, elder.
Skip the commentary—got any helpful advice?
Swoosh!
I dodged an arrow that grazed a centimeter from my cheek and scanned around.
“Kyaaak!”
One of the beastkin girls had already missed her step and was falling into the lava.
[One team member has been touched by ‘lava.’]
[The team member is eliminated.]
“Hun, damn it! Keep going! I’ll cheer you on from afar!”
Olena collapsed to her knees too.
Pfft!
An arrow lodged in her thigh.
She vanished with a whoosh!
[One team member has been touched by an ‘arrow.’]
[The team member is eliminated.]
Now, only four left.
Me, the Judgement Spear, Vladimir, and Maxim.
‘No.’
I widened my eyes.
‘It’s not just testing mental strength.’
Kapu, Mio Hana, Olena.
They didn’t drop first because their mental fortitude was weaker than ours.
‘The platforms.’
I focused on the floor.
Without physical ability and senses to match, no amount of mental strength could keep you alive in this setup.
‘It’s not mental—it’s skill.’
I had to win with technique.
“Hmm?”
The old man chuckled as if amused.
“You’re still using my ‘Supreme Invincible Footwork’ even in this mess. A bit clumsy, but amazing adaptability. Applying it in this environment isn’t easy.”
Even in harsh conditions.
I applied the method the old man taught.
Adapting to the situation, my body improvised and evolved.
“Heh heh, indeed… The ‘Grand Law of Flawless Artisanry Across All Materials’ is showing its effect. Your head might be questionable, but your body’s definitely in genius territory.”
Excuse me, elder.
I’m dying here?
Don’t just watch excitedly—help somehow…!
“Hup?!”
Swoosh!
Another arrow passed by a hair’s breadth.
That one was really close.
If my focus had slipped even a moment, I’d have been done.
“Hang in there, kid! No more words from me. Even the god of training couldn’t advise here. Just endure. Like you’ve been doing.”
The old man, realizing my plight, crossed his arms quietly.
And watched my ordeal.
It was tough.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Insanely tough.
Swoosh! Rumble rumble!
As the old man vanished and time passed.
I somehow kept my focus unbroken.
Immersed in evasion, just like when forging that S-grade weapon.
One hour, two hours, three hours.
And at the fourth.
“I’ll head out too. No more… I can’t.”
The middle-aged Maxim was eliminated.
[One team member has been touched by ‘lava.’]
[The team member is eliminated.]
“Fuuuuck.”
Vladimir yelled.
“In the end, just us three? Heave, cough!”
“My limit’s coming soon too. Vlad.”
The Judgement Spear, having thrown away his spear, eyes bulging, muttered.
“Limits were always coming. Urgh! Hey! Team leader!”
“Yeah?”
“Isn’t this enough? Heave, huff! Honestly, we’ve lasted plenty, right?!”
I shook my head.
The fact I could still make a sound.
Meant I could endure more.
It was pushing to the limit, not beyond.
“Hek, hek! You’re one tough bastard…”
Time kept passing.
“...!”
Even Vladimir’s lips, which occasionally cracked jokes, stopped moving.
The Judgement Spear’s face was flushed red, drool dripping.
My situation was the same.
‘Shouldn’t it be over by now?’
By feel, sensation.
Or bodily rhythm, I didn’t know.
But 24 hours felt long past, yet no end.
As I let out a hollow laugh.
“Team leader, I’ve endured… as much… urk!”
“My friend, hang in there. Urk, you truly are amazing. I tried to win, but no more.”
Vladimir and the Judgement Spear took arrows to the chest too.
Even as my two comrades vanished with a whoosh!
All I could do was keep moving.
‘Ah.’
It was hazy.
I felt my mind growing foggy.
Was I dodging the arrows, or were the arrows dodging me…? Indistinguishable.
Slip!
My muscles twitched briefly, tumbling to the floor.
“Hraaah!”
But I sprang back up, stepping forward.
Dozens of arrows whizzed past beside me.
‘At least the good news.’
The arrows were much slower than before.
Probably matching my current movement limit exactly.
“Fuuuck.”
That made it even worse.
It pissed me off.
Like this space was testing and probing me?
“Do your worst, you bastards!”
Defiance surged.
The arrows flying at me and the bucking floor seemed to taunt.
Isn’t this the toughest yet?
Can’t endure, right?
‘Bullshit!’
I’d burned my body dozens of times facing the Sun Spear.
Endured poison mist melting my flesh, even briefly hosted the essence of fire monster.
‘Just.’
You can’t gauge my limits with mere arrows.
Bring it.
Bring more.
I’ll flatten the nose of whoever’s testing me.
Ptoo!
I spat into the lava below.
Hot breath rose from it.
Scorching heat filled my lungs.
My heart had pounded so long, I’d lost sensation.
My brain knew.
No point signaling pain—the body’s master wouldn’t listen.
I widened my eyes.
Kept moving my legs and waist.
For a few more minutes.
“Kraah, haak! Haak!”
[24 hours have passed.]
Finally.
I endured stage 3 to the end.
And.
[Switching to stage 4.]
Of course.
That wasn’t the end.